Bike ride for cancer charity raises £778

A caring health trust boss organised a bike race and raised £778 for CancerCare North Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Tim Bennett, a former trustee of CancerCare in Lancaster, held the bike race on roads around Levens and Lindale in South Cumbria.

Tim from Carnforth, who is currently the deputy chief executive of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, organised the race with fellow members of the Kent Valley Road Club.

A total of 165 cyclists took part in the recent 10-mile time trial.

Tim said: “The course the race ran on was known for being quite fast so we had people entering from all over the country and trying to beat their personal best.

“As I organised the event, I was allowed to choose the charity. I used to be on the board of trustees at CancerCare and I was the finance Director of University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust.

“When I worked at Morecambe Bay I got to know Professor Malcolm McIllmurray (the founder of CancerCare). He told me all about the work of CancerCare.

“I became a trustee partly because he asked me and partly because I like the ethos of supporting people holistically.

“The NHS does its best in terms of clinical treatment such as chemotherapy and radiology but it doesn’t deal with the aftershock and wider impact of cancer on families.

“I was keen to support CancerCare because it picked up where the NHS left off.

“It’s social and emotional support that people need if they are going through tough times.

“I wanted to support CancerCare because the charity depends on many people making an effort and raising some money.”

Neil Townsend, chief executive of CancerCare, said: “We are delighted that Tim has continued to support CancerCare over the years.